O'Mara: Finger Lakes Cheese Festival on Saturday great chance to support local agriculture, tourism

Odessa, N.Y., July 25—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R-C, Big Flats), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today reminded area residents that the 2nd Annual Finger Lakes Cheese Festival takes place this Saturday, July 27, at Sunset View Creamery in Schuyler County.

"The Finger Lakes Cheese Festival offers a great opportunity to sample a few locally made cheeses and help bring attention to an important sector of New York State’s agricultural industry,” said O’Mara.  “Cheese making has long played an important role in so many upstate New York communities, including Schuyler County.  The great news is that it’s still going strong and has an exciting and promising future.”

O’Mara also took the occasion of this year’s festival to recall his own family’s history in New York State cheese making.  O’Mara’s grandfather, John, was a cheese maker and owned and operated the Colosse Cheese Factory in Oswego County in the early 20th Century.  The senator’s father, also named John, grew up working in the factory throughout his high school and college years.  Colosse Cheese is still produced and sold in central New York, but the O’Mara family is no longer involved in the business.

Sunset View Creamery is a Farmstead & Artisan Cheese Production Facility that’s operated on Hoffarms Dairy, a century farm located in Odessa, New York, just south of Watkins Glen.  Fourth and fifth generation Hoffmans operate the farm and all the milk used in their cheese making comes from their predominantly Holstein herd.  

For more information on other local cheese makers, including the schedule of events for this Saturday’s Finger Lakes Cheese Festival and other upcoming events, visit the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail online at http://flcheesetrail.com/.